Black History Month: Flag burning ceremony a first for Banks-Miller Post 255
Members of Banks-Miller Post 255 drop pieces of the flag that hung outside of their building for years into the fire. {Kassaundra Shanette Lockhart/Davidson Local}
Originally published May 25, 2022
On the morning of May 21, history was made as American Legion Banks-Miller Post 255 held a flag burning ceremony - a first in the organization’s nearly 70 year history. For decades, the ceremony took place at one post. In recent years, a decision was made to have the ceremony at a different location yearly.
For the first and only Black American Legion post (founded in 1952) in the county, the opportunity to host was an honor.
“Sometimes ‘Old Glory’ gets tattered from waving, high, over the land, blowing in the winds,” said post member, Donald Holt, Sr. “And it is the honorable thing to do to process her out with honor and dignity. That’s what we’ve done here today. It was a sombering, sober ceremony.”
As post commander, Foster Peter Terry, Jr., raised the soon to be retired flag before lowering it, veterans stood at attention as ‘Taps’ bellowed loudly through a trumpet. In a show of respect for what was taking place, a passerby blew its car horn.
After the new flag was raised, the process to discard the previous one began. Using scissors, Terry cut off each stripe on the flag. Once they were separated from one another and the stars, post members lowered each stripe into the fire.
Since the proper protocol for retiring a flag is to burn it, there were other flags that were put into the flames as well. A few had been collected from citizens.
Along with Banks-Miller Post 255, in attendance were representatives from American Legion Post 8, Am Vets Post 760, the County Veterans Council and the Davidson County Honor Guard.
Links to videos from the historical event are below:
Lowering of the old flag and 'Taps'
Cutting the stripes off the flag
Dropping the stripes into the fire
More flags going into the fire
Donald Holt, Sr. shares the significance of the event
Information from the American Legion regarding “Unserviceable Flags” can be found here.
To see photos from the ceremony, click on: Flag Burning. They’re located at the bottom of the article. All photos courtesy of Sherraine Lockhart and Kassaundra Shanette Lockhart/Davidson Local.
